BIG bore cartridges....what do you like?

Hey Caver, awesome thread.

I just ordered a Marlin 1895 in 45/70, so although its not here yet thats my first big bore. I like the ballistics of the round for what I plan to use it for. Accurate, too. Those big beasty single shots used to shoot in 1000Y competitions a hundred years ago and all.

Longest killing shot I've ever heard of with the 45/70 is 1,500 and something yards, at Adobe walls, by Billy Dixon. The army tested them at 2 1/2 miles shooting at huge pine boards, and it was taking the bullets 21 seconds to get there lol but they were getting there.

a 300 grain partition even at the lazy factory loaded 1880 fps must really ruin somethings day. With careful handloads I think its at the bottom of the .458 win mag spectrum, a 405 grain solid at 2,100 fps...But those loads are only for Ruger single shots I think.

Pretty versatile bullet anyway. Feels better than relying on 30-30, in a small package.

Heh... yeah if we are not talking .338 Lapua, then I like the .45-70. Of course, there are some others like .50-110 that is more difficult to get ammo for, but still cool. Of course, the .50 BMG is a nice big bore. I also like the .375 H&H

MEL

.338 Lapua mag, .408 CheyTac, .50 BMG

there big bore,capable of extremely long range shootin and tactical rifles chambered in them that would allow you to shoot them at these long distances

for brush hunting? a .45/70 govt would be nice
.458 Win for taking the African Elephant

700 nitro all the way....lol

lol
what does that launch exaclty?
ive always wondered how big that is?

Big but slow, the 50 Whisper (or whatever its called these days). I'm never going to hunt anyway.

JeffVN

most bullets are round nosed .700 inch projectiles.... somewhere around 800-1100 grains...

theres a guy at our gun club that has one... it fucking hurts to shoot.

feels like someone took a big swing at your sholder with a 10 pound sledge hammer.

Ouch!

I've heard of old hunters back in the day saying their shoulders were permanently injured from shooting 8 and 4 bore rifles. Guess I should buy my african game rifle now while my shoulder is still young haha...but no 700 nitro for me

theres actually something in the 500 range... like a 574 t-rex i think?

theres video's online of guys being thrown back 5-10 feet by it...

I'm sure firing that thing is better than having an elephant do a tap dance shuffle on you...How much better, I don't know lol

How about an old African favorite and Mauser classic--the 9.3x62mm.

Now there is a classy big bore for you.

( In case you don't know about this round, it uses a 286 grain, .366" diameter bullet loaded to 2400 fps. The Germans developed this round from the .30-06 case. And the really funny thing is that the .30-06 was developed from the 7x57mm. All I can say is that it is a good thing that the US did not just adopt the 7x57mm back in the early 1900s. A lot of really great rounds would not exist today. No .30-06, no .270, no .280, no 7x64mm, no .25-06, no .338-06.)

Mad.

I was looking at the H&R Handi rifles (singleshot) in a 45/70. Just needed a heavy brush gun and for the price it looks like a fair rifle. anyone know anything about them. Muzzleblast, the Marlin 1895 or guide gun is on the top of my list, just too much money for what I will use it for, congrats on your new rifle!

Will the 458 win mag work on a m700 long action?

re

H&H have made a couple of new rounds reently, the .400 H&H and the .465 H&H...... if .375 just doesn't cut it for you.

Of course, a .303 is all you actually need.

for big game hunting?
id rather take a .375 H&H against a charging rhino than a .303 British

re

.303 British has proved itself to be perfectly capable of dealing with both elephant and rhino, when in the hands of the experienced hunter.

The big bore rounds are just a gimmick for people who can't aim.

Re: re

Yimmy said:

.303 British has proved itself to be perfectly capable of dealing with both elephant and rhino, when in the hands of the experienced hunter.

The big bore rounds are just a gimmick for people who can't aim.

Click to expand...

well legally you need a .375 H&H as a minimum now i think

.375 H&H overkill? normally id agree but there isnt such a thing when an angry 2 1/2 ton Rhino with a 4 foot long horn he intends to shove up your ass is charging you at 35 mph
if you have a bad shot with a .303 British your dead, if you have a bad shot with a .375 H&H you might slow it down or stop it dead still
.375 H&H is more forgiving

re

I disagree, if you have a bad shot with a .375, you may get one more round off.
If you have a bad shot with a .303, it is more forgiving, in that you can get 3-4 more rounds off.

However I do admit that the .303 round should be used for behind the ear shots into the brain, and that trying to punch a hole through the front skull of a rhino may be pushing your luck.

So I say take a .303 Enfield and a .400H&H double rifle.

I think the idea about what calibre to use on a rhino is a tad stupid - as I do believe it's illegal to hunt them. OTHER than the 12 black rhinos Namibia and South Africa are allowed to shoot/sell...

And the tiny bastards only weigh in at max 1300-1400kg...that's nothing.

We can dream can't we???

My smith was (about a year ago) building a 50bmg for a fella to take out west elk hunting (is that legal?). All he had in was the action, the fish gill break and a mcmillan stock at the time I was there (custom barrel was on the way)...................only if I had the money, a custom 50.